It was only a matter of time before the open-borders crowd tried to scapegoat the immigration issue in light this weeks Republican defeat. Those who blame an immigration enforcement platform for widespread GOP losses are experiencing a moment of selective campaign recall, as if there was a batch of pro-amnesty/guest worker candidates who surged to victory. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

In districts where pro-enforcement incumbents lost, such as Arizona Rep. J.D. Hayworths (note: Hayworth has not conceded) and Indiana Rep. John Hostettler, their Democrat opponents actually campaigned on tough enforcement and border security. Hayworths opponent stated that enforcing our nation's immigration laws is an absolutely necessary ingredient to securing the U.S.-Mexico border, and promised to extend existing fencing in urban areas along our southern border. Sounds like hes taken a page out of Whatever It Takes, Hayworths recent book on combating illegal immigration.

In Hostettlers case, his opponent, a county sheriff, had this to say about the crisis of illegal immigration: Its also not right when an Indiana employer passes over an American for a job only because an illegal worker is cheaper. We need to tighten our borders, enforce the laws we have, and punish employers who break them. I dont know that a candidate talking like that could get the Big Business endorsement.

Also in Arizona, pro-amnesty/guest-worker proponents like to point to the Hayworth loss and the loss of pro-enforcement candidate Randy Graf in the 8th District, as a referendum on the immigration issue. However, they fail to mention four immigration ballot initiatives that Arizonians passed overwhelmingly, including making English Arizonas official language (74%), denying bail to illegal aliens (78%), barring illegal aliens from winning punitive damages (74%), and denying in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants (72%). These are impressive numbers for any ballot initiatives, especially considering the supposed divisive nature of the immigration debate. Evidently, nearly three quarters of Arizona voters are mean-spirited.

As many pundits have already explained, this was an election cycle when Republicans lost across the ideological board, from pro-amnesty Sen. Mike DeWine (R.-Ohio) to pro-enforcement John Hostettler. Clearly, pro-enforcement candidates did not lose based on their support for the rule of law. In fact, by courageously listening to the American people, they shifted the immigration debate to the political mainstream. While the players and party have changed, the will of the American people remains the same: Enforce our immigration laws.

Jessica Echard is the executive director of Eagle Forum, a pro-family public policy organization founded by Phyllis Schlafly.

In Hostettlers case, his opponent, a county sheriff, had this to say about the crisis of illegal immigration: Its also not right when an Indiana employer passes over an American for a job only because an illegal worker is cheaper. We need to tighten our borders, enforce the laws we have, and punish employers who break them. I dont know that a candidate talking like that could get the Big Business endorsement.

So please tell me Jessica, why is Hostettler's opponent(IIRC, his name is Ellsworth, you should have included that in your article, Jessica), as his first vote in the 110th Congress is going to be for nancy pelosi as Speaker.

I believe the immigration/open borders/amnesty issue would have been a winner for Republicans. But, the Republicans lacked a clear message, party discipline and the courage to bring this issue, in particular, to the forefront.

It's simmering out there, and the Party that gets it "right", will be the majority party in 2008.

Show me one single poll where Americans have been asked what concerns them most where the polls were at 84%.

When asked what concerns Americans most, it's always Iraq, the economy and a host of other issues. I've never seen it rank higher than 5th or 6th on the list and that's with 11% (max) of people saying it's a concern.

And I'll note that among the staunchest border control people, JD Hayworth and some other names I've forgotten now, they all lost the election. There was an article about this on FR a few days ago.

14
posted on 11/14/2006 4:03:02 PM PST
by Peach
(The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)

You are right, but that's not the point. The point is in every poll I've seen, Americans want immigration sharply curtailed. Not a laundy list poll, but a poll what specifically asks about immigration. It's a winner.

5/3/05 An overwhelming majority of Americans think illegal immigration (search) is a very or somewhat serious problem for the country today, and over two-thirds favor using the United States military to stop illegal immigrants from entering the country, according to the latest FOX News Poll. Almost equal numbers say their concern about illegal immigration is based on homeland security and terrorism as say their concern is about jobs and the economy.

The poll finds 91 percent think the illegal or undocumented immigration situation in the United States today is a "very" serious (63 percent) or "somewhat" serious (28 percent) problem. Only 5 percent think the problem is "not very" serious and 2 percent "not at all" serious http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155413,00.html

4/6/06 Almost all Americans (90 percent) say illegal immigration is a "very" serious (60 percent) or "somewhat" serious (30 percent) problem for the country today  essentially unchanged from a year ago this time.

Republicans (65 percent) are somewhat more likely than Democrats (58 percent) to say illegal immigration is a "very" serious problem, and Americans over age 65 are significantly more likely than those under age 30 to think so (71 percent and 46 percent respectively).

When the question is geared toward the local level, the number saying it is a problem drops by about half, as less than a quarter (23 percent) saying illegal immigration is a "very" serious problem in their community and another 24 percent "somewhat" serious.

"Compared to other problems facing the country, how big a problem is illegal immigration? Would you say it is one of the most important problems facing the country, or is it an important problem but not one of the most important, or is it not all that important, or is it not important at all?"

The last two years, I was more upset about immigration thsn any other Repub misstep. The alien marches stunned me. I have a feeling they did not play well in Peoria. They aren't just taking jobs Americans won't do- they are taking high-paying jobs now - construction. Repubs are doomed if they think they can get more Mexican voters (that's what they are- they aren't Americans) than Dems can.

The economy is doing well? Does that include the phony CPI numbers? I can afford the rampant inflation, but many can't as well. Tuition, food, gas, medical care/insurance... I'm sure that did not help the Repubs, even though it is Greenspan's fault. I'm not just talking about gas. If gas had gone down last year, instead of just before the election, things might have been brighter for us. I think the media buys into the govt fake numbers too easily. One of the few things they do this on. Just about everything I buy is much more expensive than a few years ago. I know it is the Fed Reserve's fault, but most don't realize that.

"This article is baloney. All the staunch border enforcement Republicans lost. And the issue has never polled above 10% of concerns for Americans."

Where have you been the last couple of years. Republicans lost across the board and Democrats stole this issue from many of them, otherwise they would have called Hayworth and the others, racist and mean spirited instead of being strongly in support of immigration enforcement. Don't the ballot initiatives tell you anything?

"Also in Arizona, pro-amnesty/guest-worker proponents like to point to the Hayworth loss and the loss of pro-enforcement candidate Randy Graf in the 8th District, as a referendum on the immigration issue. However, they fail to mention four immigration ballot initiatives that Arizonians passed overwhelmingly, including making English Arizonas official language (74%), denying bail to illegal aliens (78%), barring illegal aliens from winning punitive damages (74%), and denying in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants (72%). These are impressive numbers for any ballot initiatives, especially considering the supposed divisive nature of the immigration debate. Evidently, nearly three quarters of Arizona voters are mean-spirited. "

***** I've even heard that Heyworth's opponet LIED and said he too, was for enforcing border security. Not sure if that's true, but he lied about so much concerning Heyworth, I wouldn't doubt he lied about the illegal issue too. Arizona's citizens are very concerned about the illegal issue and that a fact. The GOP did NOT support Graft, which was a serious mistake, imho. It costs us Kolbe's former seat.

Peach, I almost always agree with your views, but not on this one, concerning Arizona. Illegal immigration was a top priority for AZ's voters.

Illegal immigration may have been a top priority with Arizona voters, although why they didn't overwhelmingly vote for Hayworth will forever remain a mystery.

However, we're talking (or at least I was) about national priorities. And if you'll look at the link I provided up-thread, you'll see that immigration never was a priority. There were always 4-5 or more items that Americans overwhelmingly said were more important.

42
posted on 11/14/2006 6:34:00 PM PST
by Peach
(The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)

The public opinion survey, conducted by an independent research firm commissioned by a Washington-based public policy group, shows immigration as a top issue for American voters. Pollster Kellyanne Conway. "For 53 percent of the electorate, they say it [immigration] is the top issue or one of their top-three issues," said Kellyanne Conway. "Immigration has never had this kind of primacy in previous elections."From here.

Thanks for the reply, Peach. You're exactly right about Heyworth. It makes no sense that he was not re-elected. Perhaps it had to do with Iraq in the state of Arizona. However like you said, it will forever remain a mystery.

I'm still sick about the loss of such good men as Allen, Weldon and Heyworth. We just need to work harder in 2008.

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